SEC Dominance? Here Are 10 Teams That Could End the Run
Has it really been five straight for the SEC?
That's right.
Starting with Urban Meyer's Florida Gators in 2006 up to Gene Chizik's Auburn Tigers in 2010, the SEC has owned the BCS championship.
The last time a non-SEC team won the championship was in 2005, when Vince Young led Texas to a 41-38 upset of USC.
So it's time for all the rest of you BCS pretenders to stand up and be recognized as legitimate contenders.
Is there anyone who can pull off the daunting task and wrestle the BCS championship away from the SEC in 2011?
10. Boise State
1 of 10
Conference: Mountain West
Last national championship: 1980 (Division I-AA)
Boise State would have played in a BCS bowl last season if not for that hiccup at Nevada late in the season. The Broncos are used to being counted out against BCS competition only to pull off a shocker or two.
So no one should be surprised if Boise pulled off the biggest upset of all time.
Why will Boise State win it all? With 15 returning starters, including quarterback Kellen Moore, the Broncos will start the season in the top eight in the rankings. Boise's strength of schedule will be a little better, and the Broncos get TCU on the blue turf. Win that game and get a few breaks along the way, and Boise may finally get its shot.
Why won't Boise State win it all? We've all seen how tough it is for a non-AQ team to receive serious consideration for the big game. Just look at TCU last year, who went 13-0 and beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.
9. Notre Dame
2 of 10
Conference: Independent
Last national championship: 1988
Brian Kelly's first year in South Bend definitely had its ups and downs, but the Irish are clearly on an upswing after winning four straight, including impressive victories over Utah, USC and Miami.
Why will Notre Dame win it all? Notre Dame's biggest recruiting coup came when Michael Floyd announced he'd return for his senior season, so the receiving corps has a nice veteran to go with an up-and-coming star at quarterback in Tommy Rees. The Irish are on their way back under Kelly.
Why won't Notre Dame win it all? It's just too quick. Kelly is a great coach who just wins, but it will likely take at least one more season before Notre Dame is a true contender.
8. Michigan State
3 of 10
Conference: Big Ten
Last national championship: 1965
Michigan State was somewhat of a surprise team in 2010 and finished 11-2. Key players return like quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Edwin Baker and receiver B.J. Cunningham.
Why will Michigan State win it all? The Big Ten is ripe for the taking. The suspensions at Ohio State should make the Buckeyes vulnerable, and the Spartans learned a lot in 2010 about what it takes to win it all.
Why won't Michigan State win it all? The Spartans road schedule is too tough in 2011. MSU travels to Notre Dame (Sept. 17), Ohio State (Oct. 1), Nebraska (Oct. 29) and Iowa (Nov. 12). Going through that unscathed is impossible. Also, that embarrassing bowl loss to Alabama showed how far away Michigan State is from seriously competing at the highest level.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Oklahoma State
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Conference: Big 12
Last national championship: None
Maybe all of that money T. Boone Pickens has poured into the Oklahoma State program finally pays off this season. The Cowboys showed all kinds of promise last year, but until they can get by in-state rival Oklahoma, it's hard to project OSU as anything more than a second-tier bowl team.
Why will Oklahoma State win it all? All-American receiver Justin Blackmon and quarterback Brandon Weeden will be back to guide one of the nation's most prolific offensive attacks. The Cowboys may be able to outscore anyone they play in 2011.
Why won't Oklahoma State win it all? The Cowboys lost the mastermind of their explosive offense when coordinator Dana Holgorsen bolted for West Virginia, where he is the head coach-in-waiting.
6. TCU
5 of 10
Conference: Mountain West
Last national championship: 1938
Gary Patterson has done an amazing job of keeping TCU in the upper echelon of college football over the past few seasons. In 2012, the Horned Frogs will be in the Big East, and if they go undefeated, then there's a better chance TCU will get into a championship game.
Why will TCU win it all? If TCU goes undefeated again, it's going to be tough to exclude the Horned Frogs again. The big win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl opened a lot of eyes and created a lot of believers.
Why won't TCU win it all? Patterson was able to rebuild his defense last year, and now he has to do the same with one of the nation's best offenses. Losing quarterback Andy Dalton is huge; filling that loss will be tough, and more than likely the replacement won't be as good.
5. Florida State
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Conference: ACC
Last national championship: 1999
For a couple years now we've all been touting the Florida State dynasty as back. Well, that hasn't quite worked out so well. But second-year coach Jimbo Fisher has proven his recruiting chops. and he did a pretty good job of coaching in 2010.
Why will Florida State win it all? Back-to-back top 10 recruiting classes means there is a talent overload in Tallahassee. E.J. Manuel should fill in nicely for Christian Ponder at quarterback, and running back Chris Thompson is ready for a breakout season. Also, the defense was improved, and they could be ready to play up to a championship level.
Why won't Florida State win it all? The Seminoles may still be a year away from seriously challenging for a spot in the big game. In fact, FSU may not be able to get past Virginia Tech in the ACC again.
4. Ohio State
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Conference: Big Ten
Last national championship: 2002
Ohio State makes these types of lists every year, and the entire SEC snickers. While the Buckeyes remain the butt of many jokes, Jim Tressel's teams have won back-to-back BCS bowl games and could be ready to win it all.
Why will Ohio State win it all? It's simple: Terrelle Pryor. He may have to sit out at least the first five games of the season, but Pryor has a lot of the same skills that helped Cam Newton guide Auburn to this year's championship. It's time for Pryor to live up to the hype and finally lead the Buckeyes to a title.
Why won't Ohio State win it all? It's the Buckeyes, and their track record in the BCS championship is not impressive, especially if they have to play an SEC team.
3. Stanford
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Conference: Pac-12
Last national championship: 1926
Any team with Andrew Luck at quarterback has a shot at winning a championship. If Luck had left early for the NFL, the Cardinal wouldn't be in this discussion.
Why will Stanford win it all? Luck enters 2011 as the Heisman favorite and is easily the best throwing quarterback in the nation. Working in Stanford's favor is a rematch with Oregon—last season's only loss—at home.
Why won't Stanford win it all? The departure of coach Jim Harbaugh to the NFL could be the difference in the Cardinal being a legitimate contender in 2011, but the talent is there for new coach David Shaw.
2. Oklahoma
9 of 10
Conference: Big 12
Last national championship: 2000
The Sooners seem to be in this position every year but just can't quite get over the hump and avoid some midseason loss that dampens their championship hopes. Oklahoma is also loaded with plenty of talent, so BCS appearances are expected.
Why will Oklahoma win it all? Quarterback Landry Jones had an outstanding sophomore season, and he's now a veteran and leader for the Sooners, maybe in the mold of Sam Bradford. Another big season out of him, someone to replace DeMarco Murray at running back and consistent play on defense and the Sooners could end the SEC's stranglehold.
Why won't Oklahoma win it all? Despite beating Connecticut from the beleaguered Big East in this past season's Fiesta Bowl, the Sooners have not played well on the big stage since winning it all in 2000. Heck, even that win was ugly. It's hard to see how Bob Stoops and the Sooners can change their karma.
1. Oregon
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Conference: Pac-12
Last national championship: None
The Ducks were so close last year. There were a lot of folks who thought the SEC dynasty was over. Then there was that Michael Dyer run, which set up a game-winning field goal, and Oregon is still without a championship.
Why will Oregon win it all? Everyone gets excited about the Ducks' high-octane offense, but coach Chip Kelly also has a fast and tough defense to contend with. Oregon got a taste last year and has to feel confident it can get it done against the SEC.
Why won't Oregon win it all? When programs have more than a few weeks to prepare for the Ducks offense, Oregon doesn't quite click on all cylinders. Just look at the championship against Auburn and the Rose Bowl the year before with Ohio State.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
